New book releases by Conn. authors ready to give

By Christina Hennessy

Updated 4:20 pm, Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Photo: Caryn B. Davis / Contributed Photo

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Among the scenes Chester-based photographer Caryn B. Davis captured for her book, “A Connecticut Christmas” (Globe Pequot Press), are the decorations that grace one of the Christmas trees on display at the Lockwwod-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk. less

Among the scenes Chester-based photographer Caryn B. Davis captured for her book, “A Connecticut Christmas” (Globe Pequot Press), are the decorations that grace one of the Christmas trees on display at the ... more

Photo: Caryn B. Davis / Contributed Photo

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Fairfield-based illustrator Sean Kelly designed and created images for Stephen Colbert’s new book, “Midnight Confessions."

Fairfield-based illustrator Sean Kelly designed and created images for Stephen Colbert’s new book, “Midnight Confessions."

Photographer Caryn B. Davis, of Chester, has a new book out in time for gift giving. “A Connecticut Christmas” is a pictorial journey through the holiday traditions of the Nutmeg state.

Photographer Caryn B. Davis, of Chester, has a new book out in time for gift giving. “A Connecticut Christmas” is a pictorial journey through the holiday traditions of the Nutmeg state.

Photo: Caryn B. Davis / Contributed Photo

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Darien-based photographer Anouk Masson Krantz captured the beauty of the wild horses of Cumberland Island in the newly released book, "Wild Horses of Cumberland Island." The 240-page book, with its 150 photographs, is the product of 10 years of visits to this island off Georgia's coast. less

Darien-based photographer Anouk Masson Krantz captured the beauty of the wild horses of Cumberland Island in the newly released book, "Wild Horses of Cumberland Island." The 240-page book, with its 150 ... more

Some are weighty, others a bit lighter — literally and figuratively. Together, nearly a half-dozen books released this year feature the talents of writers, comedians, photographers and illustrators who make Connecticut their home.

Books have long made welcome gifts, and this batch of homegrown creations are there for the picking. In an era of digital uploads, these books are best treasured while cupped in one’s hands, or perhaps resting in a lap - one weighs about 5 pounds and measures nearly 12 inches by 14 inches.

These works can be found the old-fashioned way at local, independent bookstores or, following the fashion of the day, online.

“A Connecticut Christmas,” by Caryn B. Davis (Globe Pequot Press)

Photo: Caryn B. Davis ;Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo

“A Connecticut Christmas,” by Caryn B. Davis, is a pictorial journey through the holiday traditions of the Nutmeg state.

“A Connecticut Christmas,” by Caryn B. Davis, is a pictorial...

Guided by her lens and a desire to capture quintessential holiday traditions and displays, Caryn B. Davis, a Chester-based photographer, journeyed through 40 cities and towns during the past two holiday seasons. She returned with enough images to fill 224 pages.

“I knew of a few of them, but it ended up being a really good compilation of a variety of Christmas traditions and celebrations around the state,” she says during a telephone interview. “It’s really nice to see the images all together in tangible form. The idea was it was a book you could open often and view the images multiple times.”

Her quest brought her to the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk, holiday festivities on the New Haven Green and the “Santa Made Me Do It” 5-kilometer race in Bethlehem. Essays from Connecticut author Eric D. Lehman, who teaches literature and creative writing at the University of Bridgeport, accompany the images. The book ends with a listing of places and events Davis visited, so readers can follow her path.

Fairfield-based illustrator Sean Kelly designed and created images for Stephen Colbert’s new book, “Midnight Confessions."

Fairfield-based illustrator Sean Kelly designed and created images...

Sean Kelly’s work has appeared in top newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times Metropolitan Diary, Fortune, Businessweek, The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal, but this year was the first time he designed an entire book — Stephen Colbert’s latest, “Midnight Confessions.”

It is based on a popular segment from “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on CBS, during which Colbert reveals various and sundry secrets to his audience. The book is 208 pages of such misdeeds. As with the show, the pithy, odd and hilarious admissions are created by Colbert and his writers.

“The challenge (was) to translate something that was very personal and strictly about him to more of a universal guilt, so readers could relate,” says Kelly, of Fairfield, who endeavored to create visual gags that would not steal the thunder of the written gag. “I was very grateful to be part of the project.”

For nearly 20 years, these Greenwich residents have shown the lighter side of suburbia with a calendar and cartoon series known as “Our Life.” Their latest creative collaboration is a book of more than 80 of their cartoons.

During a recent interview, Condon, a stand-up comedian, and Eggers, who was a creative director for advertising firms, explained how they collaborate on the work, often tapping real-life observations and dialogue for the series. The fans of their popular calendar series (the first was in 2000) are likely rejoicing. The last calendar project was released in 2012.

Darien-based photographer Anouk Masson Krantz captured the beauty of the wild horses of Cumberland Island in her new book, “Wild Horses of Cumberland Island” (Images Publishing).

Darien-based photographer Anouk Masson Krantz captured the beauty...

Beyond its eye-catching floral features, Cumberland Island, located off the coast of Georgia, is known for its fauna. A part of the history of the island since the mid-1700s, the equine population began as domestic animals, but by the mid-1900s were largely roaming the island, having reverted to a feral state.

For the past 10 years, Darien photographer Anouk Masson Krantz repeatedly visited the island, which is under the auspices of the National Park Service, to capture images of its foliage and the horses. The manifestation of that pursuit is a 240-page book of 150 black-and-white photographs. Lush photographs reveal the island’s salt marshes, old-growth forests and white-sand beaches. It’s like taking a trip from the comfort of the couch.